KANSAS CITY, KS—Fujifilm invited roughly 30 printers, ranging from screen to commercial printing operations, to its facility here for an Inkjet Technology Summit, Sept. 17-18. This two-day show-and-tell was actually held at the Crown Westin Hotel in Kansas City, MO, and at Fujifilm’s offices just over the state line in Kansas City, KS.

While the content was heavily weighted toward Fujifilm technologies, a cast of presenters delivered sermons that encompassed the big picture. “Anything printed analog today will be printed digitally in the future,” predicted Fuji-film’s Mitch Bodie. So, regardless of a given manufacturer’s technology, digital output devices are going to play an ever-growing role for the printer of tomorrow.

One of the most enlightening and entertaining presentations was given by Bill Baxter, CEO of Inca Digital Printers, Fujifilm’s UK-based partner. He spoke of the company’s early days with its Eagle 44 flatbed printer, which debuted in 1998. Again, the burgeoning significance of digital printing devices, particularly inkjet, was hammered home.

“These are the very early days for inkjet,” he said. “In 10, 20, 30 years, it will still be evolving, still be dynamic.”

During the demonstration portion of the event, attendees toured the shop area to get a taste of Fujifilm’s wide- and superwide-format digital press offerings, including the Inca Onset S40i flatbed UV inkjet printer, which debuted at drupa last spring. Visitors watched as the Onset jetted impressive images via eight passes on 100-lb. cover stock.

Also on display was the Acuity Advance series of roll-to-roll printers, which allows full-bleed printing on rigid substrates. Highlights included a white ink option and near-photographic image quality. Likewise, the Acuity LED 1600—a six-color, 64˝ wide-format machine that boasts 1,200 dpi resolution and the ability to print white and clear ink—can operate either as a flatbed or roll-to-roll.